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With summer fast approaching many of us are turning our thoughts to where to go for our summer holidays, particularly as we have not been able to travel for last two years. And what could be better than a couple of weeks in your own private villa in Italy.

If you have young children and are looking to book a family get away, then a luxury villa with a nice, heated swimming pool is a must. It will keep the kids occupied for hours on end while you relax in the warm sunshine.

To give you an idea of where you could stay, we have selected three beautiful villas with their own heated private pools.

1. Podere Vetrichina – Tuscany

Located in Tuscany, Podere Vetrichina is set within pretty gardens and surrounded by 6 hectares of woods, offering a breadth of fresh air within the Tuscan countryside, in an ideal location and perfect for families or groups of friends looking for a break from the 9 to 5 monotony.

Podere Vetrichina can accommodate up to 14 guests and in addition to the living areas within the villa, the extensive grounds are composed of the swimming pool area, the gardens and 3 outdoor dining areas.

The villa has a fully-equipped kitchen, a dining room outfitted with a country-chic antique wooden table, two pellet fireplaces and two comfortable living areas.

Four of the six double bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms, are located on the ground floor and have aged-oak flooring, travertine bathrooms, designer fittings, memory-foam mattresses and luxury Italian cotton linens.

On the first floor you can relax in the large sofas in the villa’s upper level living area, while watching TV or playing a DVD. The other two double bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms are also on this floor. Each bathroom has professional hairdryers and natural toiletries, while extra beds and highchairs are available for children upon request. The villa is also equipped with air conditioning throughout.

A focal point of the garden is the 120 cubic metre swimming pool which is open from May 1^st until mid-October. It has a minimum depth of 1.30 metres and is surrounded with deck chairs for the sun worshippers amongst you, while those of you who want to stay out of the sun can find shade under the canopy.

2. Masseria il Trullino – Puglia

Newly built a few years ago, Masseria il Trullino is located in Puglia, nestled amongst 400 year old olive trees. This traditional Italian country house offers a serene hideaway for a tranquil holiday with family and friends.

On entering the main gate, you will find yourself standing in over two hectares of ancient olive trees and the villa itself is made up with the main building and a separate guest unit.

The main building has an open-plan fully-fitted modern kitchen equipped two large fridges and the ancient oak kitchen table can sit up to 10 people when fully extended. The dining area has an impressive open fireplace, while the cosy living area is the perfect place to relax or watch television in the evening.

At sunset, you can head up to the roof terrace for an aperitif and take in the spectacular panoramic views as far as eye can see of olive groves and white-stone villages. And on a really clear day, you may even spot the Adriatic Sea and Albania in the far distance.

The villa has 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms and can accommodate up to 10 people with a master-bedroom with four poster king size bed, closet, cabinet, desk and an en-suite bathroom with shower, TV, Nespresso Coffee machine and access to a private garden.

Then there is a twin/double bedroom with en-suite bathroom with shower, TV, desk and it also has access to the private garden.

In addition, there are two twin/double bedrooms, sharing a spacious family bathroom with bathtub and separate rain shower. The two rooms can be interconnected, with one of the two rooms equipped with TV and DVD player and a desk.

A second independent stone building is located just 30 metres from the main building and has a twin/double bedroom with en-suite shower and TV, ideal for teenagers, a nanny or visiting guests.

The brand new private tennis court offers the opportunity to enjoy tennis with the family or play a few matches with friends before diving into the swimming pool to cool off.

The pretty 10 x 5 meter heated infinity pool has an electric cover as well as an outdoor shower. You normally don’t need to heat the pool during the hot summer months, but it can be heated by request with an extra charge.

3. Casale Le Pratola – Tuscany

Not far from Siena and Florence, located in the Chianti region of Tuscany, Casale Le Pratola enjoys a commanding and private hilltop position with 360 degree panoramic views of the surrounding Tuscan countryside.

Casale Le Pratola is a luxurious Tuscan villa, bringing together the best Italian craftsmanship and design from the 16^th century to the present day, and retains a multitude of original features including exposed walls and beams, handmade floor tiles, 18^th century antique furniture and an original dove tower.

The villa is set in 2 hectares of secluded gardens filled with vines, olives, cypress trees and local herbs and the infinity pool is surrounded by wide open lawn areas with views of the surrounding countryside. You can also relax on the sun loungers and deck chairs around the pool.

At the heart of Casale Le Pratola is a central courtyard housing an original stone pizza oven and barbeque area containing a large table and chairs, perfect for al fresco dining. There are also two more terraces, the first is outside the dining room, and is a fragrant, pergola covered dining area with fantastic views. The second leads from the large sitting room and is a bar zone terrace with sofa, armchairs and candles looking out over the cascading water of the infinity edged swimming pool.

Overlooking the courtyard is a large Italian designer kitchen equipped for parties and entertaining, containing a cooker, two ovens, two dishwashers, wine fridge and an adjoining utility room with laundry facilities.

The villa can accommodate up to 10 guests and has 5 bedrooms, all with en-suite travertine bathrooms and air conditioning. There are 2 sitting rooms, a kitchen, dining room, games room, gym, laundry room and a stunning open plan galleried hallway.

Leading off from the galleried hallway is the impressive sitting room which has an indoor bar area, perfect for relaxing after dinner, playing cards and listening to music or sipping drinks on the adjoining terrace and enjoying the sunset over the hills. There is also an upstairs sitting room with books, TV and DVD player and a great selection of films.

The heated swimming pool has a safety cover which opens and closes quickly and easily by remote control. The pool can be accessed via two gates with locks as an additional deterrent to very young children.